414. SJ. D: Dana—Taconice Rocks and Stratigraphy. 
These are all the sentences in the volume that contain the name 
of Eaton or relate to his views. 
Professor Emmons, on the second page of his chapter VII on 
the Taconic System, has the heading, “Persons who have Con- 
tributed to our Knowledge of the Taconic rocks,” and under it the 
“champion of the views of Eaton,” should of course have some- 
thing about the views of Eaton. The first two paragraphs are as 
follows: 
Page 136. “ By eps to the early numbers of the Journal 
of Science, it will be seen that Profs. Dewey and Hitchcock early 
turned their attention to the rocks under consideration. The 
former, distinguished for his scientific attainments, gave an elabo- 
rate essay, wherein the rocks were described as fully as was possible 
in the infancy of geology in this country ; in fact, so far as mere 
description is concerned, very little remains to beadded. In 1829, 
the history of Berkshire was published, the matter of which was 
contributed by the clergymen of the severa!, parishes in the 
county. In this work an abridgment of Professor Dewey’s former 
essay appeared, so that a ceneral account of these rocks has been 
widely circulated. Prof. Hitchcock has at various times furnished 
many important facts in regard to the geology of Berkshire, but, 
as appears from his publications, has relied mainly upon the infor- 
mation derived from Professor Dewey’s labors, especially in his 
elaborate and excellent work on the rocks of Massachusetts.* To 
these gentlemen, therefore, we are principally indebted for the 
facts which have been placed before the public.” 
Page 125. ‘The limestones of Berkshire have been fully and 
ably treated of by Professors Dewey and Hitchcock.” 
Page 151. Speaking of the Sparry limestone, he says: “ This 
limestone is called Transition limestone upon the geological map 
contributed by Professor Dewey for illustrating the geology of 
Berkshire county, Massachusetts.’’+ 
In this mention of early workers, there is not a word about 
Eaton anywhere. Dewey made his investigations eight to fifteen 
years before Professor Katon’s work of 1832 was published. Eaton 
made no observations on the Taconic rocks, and honorably gave 
credit for all he knew (see page 270 of this volume) to Prof. Dewey. 
According to the facts, consequently, “the persistent war waged ” 
against “the views of Amos Eaton” (p. 121 of the Naturalist) 
—till now an unheard of war—was begun by his pupil, Professor 
Emmons. Eaton was a man of great energy and enthusiasm ; 
but his was the beginning-time in . American geology ; and little 
eredit is to be given either to him or to Dewey for their adoption 
of the term Transition from European writers, or for any ideas 
on the age of the rocks. 
Professor Emmons is charged (on p- 120 of the paper and be- 
* These remarks with reference to Professor Hitchcock relate evidently to his 
earlier report, that of 1835, on the Geology of Massachusetts, and not to his later 
quarto report of 1841. 
+ This Journal, vol. viii, 1824. Emmons dedicates his “‘ American Geology” to 
Dr. Dewey. 
